A meltdown, some hair-pulling moments and a mess from thrown items — these incidents would normally send someone bolting for the exit. For Anita, it was an experience that only made her commitment to volunteering stronger.

Anita’s story takes us back to 2019, during a Big Brother Big Sister programme session, where trained volunteers facilitate activities to engage children and youth with autism to give their caregivers the much-needed respite. That particular day, things took an unexpected turn when the child Anita was paired with started having a severe meltdown. 



“Our various methods to calm her down did not work and it was a really challenging situation. During that time, the parents of other participants were continuously checking in on us, and the volunteers who were with me never gave up in trying to help. I was deeply moved by the experience. I couldn’t imagine how much tenacity and patience would have been needed from her parents and caregivers to care for her 24/7,” she reflected. The incident left her heart full and drove her to work towards a more inclusive and compassionate society.



Anita’s volunteering journey with Youth Corps Singapore’s Special Needs Cluster has been deeply rewarding. Through her involvement, she has gained a greater understanding of the challenges faced by Persons with Special Needs. She has also learnt valuable lessons from the caregivers of those with special needs, witnessing what it means to be giving and resilient. 



In rounding up her hopes for the community, she emphasises, “Love, kindness and understanding can go a long way in making another person's day better. Sometimes, a person may have a disability that is not immediately observable, and the disability may cause the person to behave in ways that deviate from ‘social norms’. It’s important to remember that it doesn't hurt to be kind as we would not know what the other person is going through.”